Senior Buyer Contracts and Procurement

Aeon; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Benefits

Complimentary Daily Lunches

Snacks & Beverages

Team Events & Company Celebrations

Job summary

Aeon is hiring a Senior Buyer Contracts and Procurement to oversee procurement for direct and indirect hardware and services in a fast-paced defense-focused environment. You will drive end-to-end procurement for IRAD and production, coordinate with engineering, and implement scalable, compliant processes under ITAR.

The role reports to the VP of Supply Chain and requires a strong track record in aerospace procurement, supplier management, and ERP-driven KPI delivery.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive supply chain, procurement, and operations experience in aerospace/ITAR-regulated hardware environments.
• Proven experience building supplier relationships and reducing cost of goods sold.
• Experience with prototype development, NPI, and full-rate manufacturing operations.
• Strong ERP/MRP fluency with KPI tracking and procurement ownership.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and cross-collaboration skills.
• Experience in high-reliability electronics, precision machining, castings, or PCB supply chains.
• Understanding of Import/Export, ITAR, BAA, DPAS and Incoterms.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end materials procurement for assigned categories in support of IRAD and Production requirements.
• Develop dashboards and track KPIs such as order placements, order acknowledgements, on-time delivery and 3-way match exceptions.
• Manage component shortage prioritization and mitigation to minimize schedule impact.
• Facilitate RCCA for supplier nonconformances and drive corrective actions.
• Create Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and lead weekly supplier communications.
• Support ERP tool implementation timelines and requirements.
• Support supplier compliance to AS9100 during qualification and onboarding.
• Negotiate supplier contract terms and secure year-over-year cost reductions.

Skills

Procurement Strategy

Negotiation

ERP/MRP

Supplier Relationships

ITAR compliance

Cost Reduction

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

At Aeon, we design, build, and fly low-cost, modular, weapon systems for ground and air platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and small team that allows us to iterate, build and test quickly. If you are looking to solve hard technical problems with a team of passionate engineers in a hands-on, fast-paced environment, Aeon is the place for you.

We are building next-generation defense solutions, with programs in active development and in low-rate production. We are hiring a Senior Buyer Contracts and Procurement to oversee procurement and negotiation for both direct and indirect hardgoods and services. This position will help transform the current ad hoc and unstructured procurement process into a disciplined, scalable and compliant acquisition function for AEON.

This strategic procurement opportunity will report to the VP of Supply Chain and work closely with the engineering and manufacturing organizations to stand up a procurement process to support business needs. This role is perfect for entrepreneurial self-starters, that work well in start-up cultures where creativity and flexibility is critical. Because we operate under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and U.S. Government contracting requirements, fluency in export-controlled and defense-regulated supply chains is essential to this role.

What you’ll do at Aeon:

• Lead end-to-end materials Procurement for assigned categories in support of IRAD and Production requirements
• Develop dashboards and track KPI’s such as: order placements, order acknowledgements, on-time delivery and 3 way (PO, Invoice, and Receipt) match exception, etc. that achieve customer expectations
• Manage component shortage prioritization and mitigation to reduce impact to the schedule
• Facilitate Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) process for Supplier nonconformances, and manage the successful graduation and solution of those identified issues
• Create Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and lead weekly supplier fulfillment communications
• Support Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool implementation timelines and requirements
• Support the implementation of supplier compliance to AS9100 inclusive of qualification and on-boarding
• Negotiate supplier contract terms, secure year over year cost reductions, and facilitate multi-source component awards to ensure continuity of supply

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• 7+ years of progressive supply chain, procurement, and operations experience, including significant time in aerospace, defense, or another ITAR-regulated hardware environment
• Proven experience building supplier relationships and implementing strategies that reduce risk and improve cost of goods sold
• Experience in manufacturing organizations that specialize in prototype development, new product introduction (NPI) and full rate manufacturing operations
• Strong ERP/MRP fluency, driving success through carefully crafted and managed KPI’s, with full accountability for assigned procurement categories and dashboard metrics
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and cross-collaboration skills
• Strong experience in high reliability electronics, precision machining, castings, and/or Printed Circuit Board Assembly supply chain operations
• Understanding of current compliance to: Import, Export, ITAR, BAA, DPAS and Incoterms

While it’s not required, it would be an added plus if you have:

• Aerospace Defense startup supply chain experience
• Lean Six Sigma certification
• Familiarity with quality management systems and supplier quality engineering
• APICS/ASCM (CPIM, CSCP), ISM (CPSM), or export compliance certifications
• Undergraduate degree in Business, Engineering, or Supply Chain is a plus

What We Offer:

• Fully Company-Sponsored Health Benefits: Enjoy comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage at no cost to you, including coverage for eligible dependents, plus HSA and FSA options.
• Team Events & Company Celebrations: Connect with colleagues through team-building activities, employee events, and celebrations.
• Complimentary Daily Lunches: Enjoy company provided lunches served onsite each workday.
• Snacks & Beverages: Enjoy complementary snacks, drinks, and refreshments available throughout the workday.

Equal Employment Opportunity & Disclaimer

Requires U.S. person status under ITAR (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected non-citizen such as refugee/asylee) due to access to ITAR‑controlled defense articles or technical data.

This job description is intended to outline the general nature and key responsibilities of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications required. Job duties and responsibilities may be modified, expanded, or adjusted at any time to meet business needs, with or without notice.

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position successfully. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable laws, provided such accommodation does not create an undue hardship for the Company.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support portions of our hiring process, including application and resume reviews. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. All hiring decisions are made by company representatives.